Sewing machine for binding knitted fabrics



Oct. 25, 1932. A. s. RIVIERE 1,884,248

SEWING MACHINE FOR BINDING KNITTED FABRICS Filed Dec. 12, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet l duct": 11 S A. S. RIVIERE SEWING MACHINE FOR BINDING KNITTED FABRICS 5 SheetsSheet 2 Oct. 25, 1932.

Filed Dec. 12, 1928 Oct. 25, 1932. A. s. RIVIERE SEWING MACHINE FOR BINDING KNITTED FABRICS Filed Dec. 12, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Oct. 25, 1932. A. s. RIVIERE 1,884,248

SEWING MACHINE FOR BINDING KNITTED FABRICS Filed Dec. 12, 1928 s Sheets-Sheet 4 Oct. 25, 1932. A. s. RIVIERE SEWING MACHINE FOR BINDING KNITTED FABRICS Filed Dec. 12. 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 gwmntoc Patented Oct. 1 932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT S. RIVIERE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO UNION SPECIAL MACHINE OOMBANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS A SEWING MACHINE FOR BINDING KNITTED FABRICS I T Application. filed December 12, 1928. Serial No. 325;460.

The invention relates to new anduseful improvements in sewing machlnes and more particularly to a sewing machine for apply-' of the needle of the stitching mechanism of the needle is relieved by providing both the presser foot and the throat plate with recessed portions in advance of the needle.

A further object of "the invention is to provide a machine of the above type with an auxiliary feed dog operating on the body fabric alongside of the needle from a point in front thereof to a point in rear thereof.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the above type wherein the main feed dog is located wholly in rear of the needle and operates only upon the fabric sections after they have been stitched together.

A still further object of the invention is i to provide a machine of the above type with acombined folder and binder for folding the edge of a fabric strip and guiding and inverting the same and directing the strip about the edges of a body fabric whereby the strip may be stitched to the body fabric for binding the edge thereof.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the above type wherein the binder is provided with an extended channel guiding member for the binding strip which has its delivery end directly in front of the presser foot.

These and other objects will in part be, obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

tion

Fig.1 is a View partly in end elevation and'partly in section showing a machine embodying the improvements.

Fig. 2 is a front view of a portion of the machine.

Fig. 3 is a view partly in section and partly in plan above the work support showing the presser foot and combined folding and binding guide.

Fig. 4 is a sectional View on the line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the throat plate.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view through a portion of the presser foot and the cloth plate lengthwise of the throat plate and through the needle opening therein.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the line 77 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 8- 8 I of Fig. 3.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the combined strip folder and binding guide.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing the infolding of the edges of the binding strip, the inverting of the binding strip, and the attaching of the same to the body fabric the machine parts being omitted for the sake of clearness.

The invention is directed to a sewing machine which is particularly adapted for attaching a binding strip to a knitted fabric. This binding strip may be made of knit goods in the form of split tubes or it may be made of woven fabric. The edges of the binding strip are infolded and placed about the body fabric and joined thereto by stitching. The machine includes a stitching mechanism having preferably a single needle and a cooperating ldoper. across a Work support beneath the presser foot by a feedinglmechanism which includes a differential feed dog. alongside of the needle and a main feed dog in rear of the needle. The binding strip is passed through a folder for infolding the edges of the strip and thence through a binder which; guides and inverts the stripand directs the same beneath the presser foot so that the strip is folded about the edge portion of the body fabric when it is stitched.

The presser foot extends only a short dis The body material is directed tance in front of the needle and the portion of the foot directly in line with the delivery end of the binder and which engages the binding strip on the under face thereof is cut away from the front end of the foot to a point slightly in rear of the needle hole. The throat plate portion directly in rear of the binding guide and receiving the binding strip is also recessed or cut away on its upper face throughout the entire extent of the presser foot. These recesses give ample room for the binding strip so that it is not put under pressure until after has reached the needle and this insures a free flowing of the binding strip. At the same time the body fabric is not, in any way, restrained by the binding strip folded about the edge portion thereof and is free to be controlled by the differential feed dog so that the body fabric may be laid smoothly as it is secured to the binding strip.

ieferring more in detail to the drawings, the sewing machine includes a supporting bed 1 on which is mounted a vork support 2. The machine includes the usual overhanging arm in which is mounted for reciprocation a needle bar 23 carrying a needle Cooperating with this needle beneath the work support is a looper 5. This stitching mechanism is of the usual type and further description thereof is not. thought necessary.

Attached to the worlr support 2 is a throat plate 6. This throat plate 6 is shown more in detail in Figs. 5 and 6. The throat plate is provided with a needle zoning 7 and with feed slots 8, S for themain feed dog and a feed slot 9 for a differential feed dog. A clearly shown in Figs. and 6 the throat plate is cut away so as to form a recess 10 which extends all the way through tne throat plate directly in front of the needle. The advance edge of the throat plate directly in front of the needle is curved upwardly and rearwardly as indicated at 11. This curved forward end of the throat plate directly in front of the needle leads into a surface 12 which is below the main surface 18 of the throat plate. This forms a recess 14:.

The material is held on the work support by a presser foot. This presser foot is carried by a presser bar 16 of the usual construction. The presser foot has a main portion 17 which is rigidly attached to the presser bar. In this main portion 17 is a needle opening 18. Alongside of the main section is a. yielding section 19. This yielding section 19 is pivoted at 20 to the main sect-ion of the foot. Said yielding section includes an arm 21 which extends over the main foot portion 17 as clearly shown in Fig. 1, and carries at its forward end a foot portion 22. This foot portion 22 extends from a point in rear of the needle to a point well in advance thereof. It is this yielding foot portion which engages the body fabric. The yielding section is held depressed by a spring 23 which, of course,

operates independently of the spring bearing 011 the presser bar so that this auxiliary section of the foot moves up and down with the main section but has an independent yielding movement relative thereto.

The material is fed across the work support by a feeding mechanism which includes a main feed dog 2i and an auxiliary feed dog 25. The main feed dog 24; is carried by a feed bar which is moved back and forth by a feed rocker 26. This feed bar is raised and lowered by the usual eccentric on the main actuating shaft-f The auxiliary feed dog is mounted on an auxiliary feed bar sliding on the main feed bar and movable up and down therewith. The auxiliary bar is actuated by a link 28 connected to the feed rocker by a stud 29 adjustable in the slot 30. This permits the stroke of the auxiliary feed dog to be varied. The auxiliary feed dog works in the slot 9 of the throat plate as shown in Fig. 5, while the main feed dog works in the slots 8, 8 as shown in this figur It will be seen, therefore, that the auxiliary feed dog which has a differential movement engages the body fabric at one side of the needle and operates upon said body fabric from apoint well in advance of the needle to a point slightly in rear of the needle. It will also be observed that the main feed dog operates upon the binding strip and the body fabric after they'are stitched together as it is located wholly in rear of the needle.

In Fig. 10 of the drawings the body fabric is indicated at B and the binding strip is indicated at S. The edge portions 8, s of the binding strip are inturned and the strip folded intermediate its inturned edges, after which the strip is inverted and this forms the binding strip proper indicated at S in Fig. 10. The line of stitching for securing the binding strip and body fabric together is indicated at n. This binding strip is directed to a folder 31. The receiving end of the folder receives the strip in flat vertical position. Each edge of this folder is provided with an edge turning member 32 and as the strip passes through the folder the edge portions 8, s are completely inturned. The fabric strip passes from the folder 31 which turns the edges of the strip into a binder indicated at 83 which inverts the strip and directs it to the stitching mechanism. There is a slight space between the folder and the binder. Both the folder and binder are mounted on a base plate 34: which is secured to the cloth plate of the machine by screws 35, 35 passing through the slot 36 in the base plate (see Fig. 8). The binder is of the usual inverting type and has the edge portions 37 thereof over which the strip is inverted arranged at an angle of substantially degrees to the longitudinal center line of the binder and folder. The strip is inverted in a well known way. The binder clearly shown in Fig. 4. The extreme under face of the presser foot in front of the needle is curved from the front end downwardly and rearwardly asindicated at 39. This extends into a surface 40 which is spaced above the plane of the lower face 41 of the main section of the presser foot, as clearly shown in Fig. 6.

This spacing of the under surface 40' provides a-recess 42 which together with the recess 14 forms ample space for thebinding strip so that as the binding strip leaves the guiding portion 38 it will pass'underneath the presser foot and be placed about the edges of the body fabric, but will be free from any pressure of the presser foot bearing the strip against the throat plate. This is of particular advantage in the guiding of a knitted binding strip and also in the placing of a binding strip even of wovenfabric about the edge portions of a knitted body fabric.

In order to prevent its stretching, the knitted body fabric is fed to the stitching mechanism by the differential feed dog slightly faster than it is taken away bythemain feed dog after the partsarestitched together. This is the well known way of overcoming the stretching of knit goods as they are being fed to a stitching mechanism. Inasmuch as the binding strip clear up to the point of stitching is free from pressure it is also free from contacting pressure against the body fabric and thus allows a free action of the differential feed dog thereon.

After the parts are stitched together, then the main feed dog will engage the secured parts and feed them along from beneath the presser foot. The recess 14 in the throat plate extends all the way to the rear end of the presser foot and this gives ample space for the thickness of the binding strip so as to prevent the raising of the presser foot by the stitched parts to free the body fabric from proper control. The auxiliary yielding section of the presser foot, furthermore, cooperates with the auxiliary difierential feeddog in the feeding of the body fabric.

It will be apparent that if the thickness of the body fabric should increase or decrease, it will shift the presser foot according to the variation in the thickness,but this shifting of the presser foot does not cause any excessive pressure on the binding strip, because the shifting of the presser foot will also vary the space in a similar manner into which the binding strip and body fabric pass. In other words, the raising of the presser foot by an increased thickness of the body fabric will in crease the space into which the binding strip and body fabric in their assembled relation pass.

- Furthermore, it will be noted that the recess 14 terminates in a Vertical wall l3 and the recess 12 terminates in a vertical wall 44. These walls l3 and let guide the edges of the binding strip and thus properly position the same relative to the needle.

It is obvious that minor changes in the details of construction and the arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. 7

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

i. A sewing machine comprising in com-' bination a stitching mechanism, including a needle, a feeding mechanism, a work support, a throat plate carried thereby, a presser foot, means for infolding the edges of a binding strip and folding said binding strip about the edge portion of a body fabric as it passes beneath the presser foot, the adjacent faces of the presser foot and the throat plate being shaped so as to form a. space therebetween extending from the front end of the presser foot to point in rear of theneedle whereby said binding strip is substantially free from pressure until stitched to the body fabric.

2. A sewing machine comprising in combination a stitching mechanism, including a needle, a feeding mechanism, a Work support, a threat plate carried thereby, a presser foot, means for infolding the edges of a binding strip and folding said binding strip about the edge portion of a body fabric as it passes aeneath the presser foot, the adjacent faces of the presser foot and the throat plate being shaped so as to form a space therebetween extending from the front end of the presser foot to a point in rear of the needle whereby said binding strip is substantially free from pressure until stitched to the body fabric, said feeding mechanism including a main feed dog located wholly in rear of the needle and operating upon the binding strip and body fabric after they are stitched together.

3. A sewingmachine comprising in combination a stitching mechanism, including a needle, a feeding mechanism, a work support, a throat plate carried thereby, a presser foot, means for infolding the edges of a binding strip and folding said binding strip about the edge portion of a body fabric as it passes beneath the presser foot, the adjacent faces of the .presserfoot and the throat plate being shaped so as to form a space therebetween extending from the front end of the presser foot to a point in rearof the needle whereby said binding strip is substantially free from pressure until stitched to the body fabric,

said feeding mechanism including a differen- 1n" Lac tial feed dog operating upon the body fabric only alongside of the needle and the binding strip. 7

at. A sewing machine comprising in combination a stitching mechanism, including a needle, a feeding mechanism, a work support, a threat plate carried thereby, a presser foot, a combined folding and binding guide for infolding the edges of a fabric strip, inverting the strip and folding the same about the edge portion of a body fabric as it passes beneath the presser foot, said throat plate and presser foot being cut away in front of the needle to form a space for the binding guide, the adjacent faces of said presser foot and said throat plate also being cut away directly in rear of the binding guide from the front end thereof to a point in rear of the needle, whereby the binding strip is free from pressure until it is stitched.

5. A sewing machine comprising in combination a stitching mechanism, including a needle, a feeding mechanism, a work support, a throat plate carried thereby, a presser foot, a combined folding and binding guide for infolding the edges of a fabric strip, inverting the strip and folding the same about the edge portion of a body'fabric as it passes beneath the presser foot, said throat plate and presser foot being cut away in front of the needle to form a space for the binding guide, the adjacent faces of said presser foot and said throat plate also being cut away directly in rear of the binding guide from the front end thereof to a point in rear of the needle, whereby the binding strip is free from pressure until it is stitched, said feeding mechanism including a main feed dog operating upon said binding strip and body fabric wholly in rear of the needle.

6. A sewing machine comprising in combination a stitching mechanism, including a needle, a feeding mechanism, a work support, a threat plate carried thereby, a presser foot, a combined folding and binding guide for infolding the edges of a fabric strip, inverting the strip and folding the same about the edge portion of a body fabric as it passes beneath the presser foot, said throat plate and presser foot being cut away in front of the needle to form a space for the binding guide, the adjacent faces of said presser foot and said throat plate also being cut away directly in rear of the binding guide from the front end thereof to a point in rear of the needle, whereby the binding strip is free from pressure until it is stitched, said feeding mechanism including a main feed dog operating upon said binding strip and body fabric wholly in rear of the needle, and an auxiliary diderential feed dog operating upon the body fabric only alongside of the needle.

7. A sewing machine comprising in combination a stitching mechanism, including a needle, a feeding mechanism, a work support,

a throat plate carried thereby, a presser foot, a combined folding and binding guide for infolding the edges of a fabric strip, inverting the strip, and folding the same about the edge portion of a body fabric as it passes beneath the presser foot, said throat plate and presser foot being cut away in front of the needle to form a space for the binding guide, the adjacent faces of said presser foot and said throat plate also being cut away directly in rear of the binding guide from the front end thereof to a point in rear of the needle, whereby the binding strip is free from pressure until it is stitched, said feeding mechanism including a main feed dog operating upon said binding strip and body fabric wholly in rear of the needle, and an auxiliary differential feed dog operating upon the body fabric only alongside of the needle, said presser foot having an auxiliary yielding section cooperating with the auxiliary feed dog. 7

8. A sewing machine comprising in combination a stitching mechanism, including a needle, a feeding mechanism, a work support, a throat plate carried thereby, a presser foot, a folder for receiving and inturning the edge portions of a binding strip, a binder for receivin the binding strip with the edges inturned and inverting and directing said strip, said binder having a projecting portion extending to the presser foot for guiding the binding strip about the edge portion of the body fabric, the adjacent faces of said presser foot and said throat plate directly in rear of the binder being cut away to form a recess extending from the front end of the foot to a point in rear of the needle, whereby the binding strip is substantially free from pressure of the presser foot until the binding strip is stitched to the body fabric.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

ALBERT S. RIVIERE. 

